Sikorski Glacier, Noville Peninsula (45243)
Antarctica, Antarctica
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2015
National site name: Sikorski Glacier, Noville Peninsula
Central coordinates: Latitude: -71.7622, Longitude: -98.4441
System: marine, terrestrial
Area of KBA (km2): 3.15652
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Sikorski Glacier is located on Noville Peninsula, and flows into the Bellingshausen Sea between Mount Palmer and Mount Feury. Noville Peninsula is an ice-covered promontory of ~45 km in length situated on the northern coast of Thurston Island, Ellsworth Land, and lies between Peale Inlet and Murphy Inlet, Bellingshausen Sea. An Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) colony breeds on fast ice north of Sikorski Glacier. The IBA qualifies on the basis of the Emperor Penguin colony present and is entirely marine. There are no research stations nearby. The closest permanent stations are Rothera (GBR) and San Martín (ARG), located approximately 1250 km to the north in Marguerite Bay, Antarctic Peninsula.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.
Additional biodiversity: Analysis of a satellite image acquired 17 Nov 2009 (Fretwell et al. 2012) indicated that approximately 3568 Emperor Penguins were present at the colony, although image quality was rated as Poor. No other birds are known to breed in the area. Non-bird biodiversity: None known.
Delineation rationale: 1.26 km radius around point, truncated at coastline.
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: None known.
Additional information
References: Fretwell, P.T., LaRue, M.A., Morin P., Kooyman, G.L., Wienecke, B., Ratcliffe, N., Fox, A.J., Fleming, A.H., Porter, C. & Trathan, P.N. 2012. An Emperor Penguin population estimate: The first global, synoptic survey of a species from space. PLoS ONE 7(4): e33751. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0033751